


Quiet is the Thought of You

by Pixie (magnetgirl)



Category: Star Trek, Star Trek: Discovery, Star Trek: Enterprise
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-05-09
Updated: 2019-05-09
Packaged: 2020-02-29 03:18:58
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,301
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18770128
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/magnetgirl/pseuds/Pixie
Summary: Three meetings at the Vulcan Consulate





	Quiet is the Thought of You

 

> _Human DNA and Vulcan DNA, Phlox says there's no medical reason why they can't combine. So if a Vulcan and a human ever decided to have a child, it'd probably be okay. And that's sort of comforting._

 

2149

She'd been working at the consulate for three weeks, six days, four hours and twenty-seven minutes before she met him. Vulcans prioritize efficiency. T'Pol was assigned to Ambassador Soval; she was not required to meet an emeritus. Nor did she expect to. But Earth was not what she'd expected either.

"Hello."

T'Pol nodded with deference. Greetings are not a Vulcan custom. "Ambassador."

"Solkar," he provided unnecessarily, and held her gaze, waiting.

"T'Pol."

"You are working with Soval."

"Yes."

A silence grew between them. T’Pol pursed her lips, nonplussed, but determined not to let on. Solkar's eyes narrowed, almost twinkling, at her resolve.

"And how do you find Earth?"

"Cold."

Solkar looked almost amused. "The weather?" San Francisco was decidedly cooler than home.

"The people," she murmured.

"Ah." He turned slightly, started walking, hands clasped behind his back. T'Pol followed at a modest distance. "Many of the humans who work at the consulate maintain a facsimile of Vulcan control. I am told it is intended to be polite."

T'Pol frowned. It was illogical. And offensive to play act something they clearly do not understand.

Solkar glanced at her. "They are not representative of the culture." She nodded acceptance of his evaluation, though she did not fully understand. "Nor are those in the Star Fleet," Solkar continued, moving his gaze to the window. "They are," he paused, searching for an appropriate description, "frustrated."

"They wish to launch a deep space exploration program." It was the first item Soval briefed her on, the day she arrived.

Solkar nodded. "They do."

"They are not ready."

"So the council believes."

T'Pol stopped walking. "You disagree?" Soval had also described the elder ambassador as a maverick. She'd assumed it was political posturing, but perhaps it went deeper.

Solkar took a deep breath and met her eyes. His were sharp, with no hint of his advancing age.

"Humans are impulsive. Reckless. They attempt before they understand." Earth had stumbled into space travel, and warp capability, almost by accident. They had a dangerous combination of intense curiosity and stubborn arrogance, but then, so did Vulcans. "There is a nobility to it."

T'Pol's eyes clouded. "I do not understand."

Solkar straightened his shoulders. "Go for a walk."

T'Pol blinked. His voice was clear, and commanding, yet she was not certain she heard correctly.

"Go for a walk," he repeated. "Open your eyes."

T'Pol pressed her lips together, forcing herself to be calm. "What am I looking for?"

His lips quirked, a smile so small she might have imagined it. "You will know when you find it."

 

2226

"Sarek."

The voice was unfamiliar but when he turned he recognized her features.

"Admiral." 

"T'Pol," she offered.

Sarek frowned, uncertain how to respond. It felt uncomfortable.

"Your forefather is..."

"Ambassador Solkar," he confirmed, relieved to move on from the question of address. And hopefully learn what she wanted of him.

T'Pol lowered her eyes, briefly allowing herself a small smile. "How do you find Earth?"

"Loud," Sarek answered, simply.

"Yes." She raised her eyes. "It is."

A moment passed. Sarek clasped his hands behind his back.

"Do you know Solkar?" Both were instrumental to Human-Vulcan relations, but his forefather had never mentioned her in a personal capacity.

She nodded.

"You were a diplomat?"

"An aide. At the consulate." She glanced away again. "A long time ago. The ambassador ... introduced me to Earth."

"The planet?"

"The people." Sarek raised an eyebrow. "It was a lesson that has stayed with me."

He wanted to ask her to elaborate, but Vulcans do not make personal inquiries. He stepped back, nodded to take his leave and started to move away. But after a few steps she called after.

"He told me to take a walk."

Sarek turned to meet her eyes, the space between his brow tight, a slight frown.

"Take a walk," she repeated in a soft, but clear voice. "Open your eyes. You will know when you find it."

 

2236

"Hello."

T'Pol looked up from padd in her lap. A small Vulcan boy stood an arms length away, watching her with a solemn expression and bright eyes.

"Hello."

"What are you doing?"

She turned the padd toward the child. "Selecting musicians for the upcoming event."

He glanced at the device and back to her. "Do you like music?"

"I do."

"I like music."

T'Pol shifted in her seat, intending to invite the boy to sit with her, when a breathless young woman appeared beside them and grasped his arm.

"There you are!"

The child looked over. "Hello, Mother."

T'Pol's eyes washed over the pair - the boy with earnest eyes and upswept ears, and the young woman, flushed and clearly human - and realized who they were. Her gaze settled on the child. A promise kept.

"I'm sorry if he-"

"You are Spock."

Amanda's demeanor shifted to high alert in an instant. Her fingers tightened around her son's arm and she drew him closer, tucking herself between Spock and the older, unknown, Vulcan woman. Her eyes remained on T'Pol as the Vulcan stood and stepped back, palms open, to appear non threatening.

"Excuse me," she addressed Amanda directly, and extended a hand in the human custom. "I am T'Pol."

Slowly, Amanda accepted the handshake.

"Amanda. But you know that."

T'Pol nodded as she withdrew her hand and straightened her shoulders.

"I am acquainted with your husband."

"Oh."

"Ambassador Solkar was my mentor."

"Oh."

An awkward silence fell. Amanda released Spock's arm and handed him a container of dried fruits. The child dropped to the grass to eat the snack as Amanda gestured for T'Pol to retake her seat, and settled beside.

"Do you work at the consulate?"

Amanda blinked. "Hm? No. No, I'm a teacher."

"At the Academy?"

She laughed, and shook her head. "Third grade."

T'Pol frowned. "How did you meet Sarek?"

"Golden Gate Park." T'Pol raised an eyebrow. "He was on a walk, shivering because he was dressed entirely inappropriately for the weather. He looked so miserable and - lost. Like he couldn’t decide which way to go." Affection lit up her face as she described it. "I took him to my favorite tea shop to warm up. We started talking - really I started talking, I think he'd be fine just sipping and staring but - it made me nervous."

T'Pol nodded. She understood.

"Anyway. We started talking and -he didn't know anything about Earth, not really. Can you imagine?" She shook her head. "The Ambassador to Earth and oh, he could rattle off dates and the mineral content of our dirt, but he knew next to nothing about our music or literature or - tea."

T'Pol nodded again. Yes, she could imagine.

"So I offered to show him around and… well…" She glanced to Spock and shrugged. Joy emanated from her whole self. "Do you have children, T'Pol?"

"No," she answered softly.

Amanda met her gaze, compassion in her eyes, a question on her lips. But Spock stood, drawing both their attention.

"All done?" He nodded. Amanda stood, turned to address T'Pol. "We're returning to Vulcan tomorrow. But we go back and forth and - I hope we can have you to dinner sometime. Here or there, whatever works best." She shrugged, feeling awkward again.

"Thank you."

Amanda nodded with a smile. T'Pol turned to the boy.

"I am pleased to make your acquaintance, Spock."

"Pleasure is emotional."

Her lips quirked, a smile so small he might have imagined it. "It is."

Spock gave her thoughtful look. Amanda raised her hand and formed the Vulcan salute. "Live long and prosper."

T'Pol raised her hand in turn. "Peace and long life."

**Author's Note:**

> My song is ["A Thousand Kisses Deep"](https://open.spotify.com/track/1izTPgfFEyvc0hl7uYAzGt?si=bejDGJCBQyuzOizX1neT1g) which is 1000% a Trip and Trip/T'Pol song. But sometimes stories turn into something else entirely. Trip doesn't appear in this fic, but it is dedicated to him.


End file.
